... Personal Authors, Panari, G.,Guidetti, R.,Pecorari, M. (Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, Reggio Emilia (Italy)),Mariani, P.,Summer, A. (Parma Univ. (Italy). ... ISMEA (Italy). Via Cornelio Celso 6. 00161 Rome, Italy.... more
... Personal Authors, Panari, G.,Guidetti, R.,Pecorari, M. (Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano, Reggio Emilia (Italy)),Mariani, P.,Summer, A. (Parma Univ. (Italy). ... ISMEA (Italy). Via Cornelio Celso 6. 00161 Rome, Italy. Contact: Luca CALIGARA. Tel: +39 06 85561.1. ...
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Modern agriculture is an extremely energy-intensive process [...]
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Genetic diversity has become an urgent matter not only in small local breeds but also in more specialized ones. While the use of genomic data in livestock breeding programs increased genetic gain, there is increasing evidence that this... more
Genetic diversity has become an urgent matter not only in small local breeds but also in more specialized ones. While the use of genomic data in livestock breeding programs increased genetic gain, there is increasing evidence that this benefit may be counterbalanced by the potential loss of genetic variability. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate the genetic diversity in the Italian Holstein dairy cattle using pedigree and genomic data from cows born between 2002 and 2020. We estimated variation in inbreeding, effective population size, and generation interval and compared those aspects prior to and after the introduction of genomic selection in the breed. The dataset contained 84,443 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and 74,485 cows were analyzed. Pedigree depth based on complete generation equivalent was equal to 10.67. A run of homozygosity (ROH) analysis was adopted to estimate SNP-based inbreeding (FROH). The average pedigree inbreeding was 0.07, while the averag...
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The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of κ-casein B content in milk on the yield of high-moisture mozzarella cheese. The study was carried out by monitoring the production of eight mozzarella cheese batches at four... more
The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of κ-casein B content in milk on the yield of high-moisture mozzarella cheese. The study was carried out by monitoring the production of eight mozzarella cheese batches at four cheesemaking factories. At each factory, two cheesemaking trials were performed in parallel: one using bulk milk from Italian Brown cattle and the other using bulk milk from Italian Friesian cattle. The average κ-casein B content was 0.04 g per 100 g in the Italian Friesian cows' milk, whereas it was four times higher in the Italian Brown cows' milk, reaching values of 0.16 g per 100 g. Both the κ-casein B content and κ-casein B to casein ratio were positively correlated with actual cheese yield. Both parameters showed correlation coefficient values over 0.9, higher than for any other protein fraction. The influence of the level of κ-casein on the increase of the yield is probably due to smaller and more homogeneous micelles, with more efficien...
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The adoption of innovative processes, such as the automatic milking system (AMS), in the production of typical PDO cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, needs to be evaluated and tested, to verify its influence on milk quality and the... more
The adoption of innovative processes, such as the automatic milking system (AMS), in the production of typical PDO cheeses, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, needs to be evaluated and tested, to verify its influence on milk quality and the typicality of the product. The present research was aimed to study the effect of the introduction of the AMS on the cheesemaking characteristics of the milk and the ripening process and the sensory properties of the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese. Six cheesemaking trials were performed and, in each trial, two different separated pools of milk were submitted to the cheesemaking process in parallel, one from AMS and the other from a traditional milking parlor (TMP). AMS milk, in comparison with TMP one, showed higher content of lactose and calcium and lower contents of somatic cells, thermophilic lactic acid bacteria and chloride. Nevertheless, these changes were too small to influence the efficiency of the cheesemaking process and the cheese composition...
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The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of κ-casein B content in milk on the yield of high-moisture mozzarella cheese. The study was carried out by monitoring the production of eight mozzarella cheese batches at four... more
The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of κ-casein B content in milk on the yield of high-moisture mozzarella cheese. The study was carried out by monitoring the production of eight mozzarella cheese batches at four cheesemaking factories. At each factory, two cheesemaking trials were performed in parallel: one using bulk milk from Italian Brown cattle and the other using bulk milk from Italian Friesian cattle. The average κ-casein B content was 0.04 g per 100 g in the Italian Friesian cows’ milk, whereas it was four times higher in the Italian Brown cows’ milk, reaching values of 0.16 g per 100 g. Both the κ-casein B content and κ-casein B to casein ratio were positively correlated with actual cheese yield. Both parameters showed correlation coefficient values over 0.9, higher than for any other protein fraction. The influence of the level of κ-casein on the increase of the yield is probably due to smaller and more homogeneous micelles, with more efficient rennet...
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Horses are nowadays mainly used for sport and leisure purposes, and several local breeds, traditionally used in agriculture, are exposed to the risk of extinction. The long-term survival of local horse breeds depends on strategies to both... more
Horses are nowadays mainly used for sport and leisure purposes, and several local breeds, traditionally used in agriculture, are exposed to the risk of extinction. The long-term survival of local horse breeds depends on strategies to both monitor their genetic diversity and to find their sustainable role in the equine market. Thus, several local horse breeds need to adapt their breeding objective to allow a modernization process. The Bardigiano is an example of such horse breeds; we, therefore, studied the existing evaluation protocol from a genetic standpoint to assess the protocol's suitability to convert the Bardigiano from an agricultural to a riding horse. To this end, we estimated genetic parameters for four conformation measurements, ten grading traits and 23 linear traits. For conformation measurements, the heritabilities ranged from 0.31 for cannon bone circumference to 0.63 for height at withers. For conformation and attitude grading traits, the highest heritability (0.34) was estimated for development and the lowest (0.09) for gaits. The heritabilities for linear traits ranged from 0.05 for the leg straightness to 0.32 for the coat colour. Genetic correlations between linear traits and corresponding grading traits varied considerably, ranging from -0.42 to 0.98. This study showed that the current evaluation protocol in the Bardigiano horse is appropriate for genetic evaluation. Genetic parameters estimation can, in turn, be used to develop novel breeding values to help this conversion. Our study paves the way to optimize the Bardigiano horse breeding programme, and it may help several other local horse breeds experiencing similar issues.
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Abstract Ca, P and Mg content and distribution between soluble and colloidal phases of donkey milk (DM) were investigated in 62 individual milk samples collected from 9 Ragusano donkeys followed from the second to the ninth month of... more
Abstract Ca, P and Mg content and distribution between soluble and colloidal phases of donkey milk (DM) were investigated in 62 individual milk samples collected from 9 Ragusano donkeys followed from the second to the ninth month of lactation. Ca (69%) and P (64%) were mainly associated with casein, while Mg was largely found in the soluble form (69%). Only 25% of the colloidal P was present as phosphorylated residues of caseins (casein-P). The colloidal contents of Ca, casein-P, inorganic P (as a constituent of the colloidal calcium phosphate; CCP) and Mg were 1.84, 1.30, 0.45 and 0.15 mmol g casein −1 , respectively, revealing a high level of mineralisation of DM casein micelle. The colloidal Ca to colloidal inorganic-P ratio was 1.51, suggesting that most colloidal Ca was in the form of CCP. All parameters were affected by the period of lactation, except casein level in milk and its level of phosphorylation.
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The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of two somatic cell content (SCC) levels (<265,000 and >265,000 cells/ml) on ewe milk composition, protein fractions and mineral content. Samples were collected during two years,... more
The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of two somatic cell content (SCC) levels (<265,000 and >265,000 cells/ml) on ewe milk composition, protein fractions and mineral content. Samples were collected during two years, from three different ewe herds. Each herd was surveyed four times per year, one per season. For each survey more than 10 individual milk samples were collected during morning milking and analysed for SCC. On the basis of the results, two individual milk samples were selected: one from a sheep with low milk SCC (up to 265.000 cells/mL; LCC) and one from a sheep with high milk SCC (over 265,000 and less than 1,000,000 cells/mL; HCC). In one herd, it was not possible to collect the milk samples in summer. So, a total of 44 ewe milk samples (22 comparative pairs) were collected. On each milk sample, crude protein, crude whey protein, casein, casein number, non protein nitrogen x 6.38, true protein, true whey protein, fat, lactose, dry matter, ash, phospho...
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A monoclonal antibody (antik-B) against an oligopeptide of 23 AA corresponding to the region 131-153 of bovine kappa-casein (kappa-CN) B was generated using the Human Combinatorial Antibody Library (HuCAL) technology. Both AA... more
A monoclonal antibody (antik-B) against an oligopeptide of 23 AA corresponding to the region 131-153 of bovine kappa-casein (kappa-CN) B was generated using the Human Combinatorial Antibody Library (HuCAL) technology. Both AA substitutions distinguishing kappa-CN A and B are located in that region (positions 136 and 148). In this study, the reactivity of antik-B to milk samples collected from cows previously genotyped as CSN3*AA, CSN3*AB, and CSN3*BB was tested. According to Western blot results, antik-B recognized kappa-CN B and it showed no cross-reactivity toward kappa-CN A and other milk proteins. Furthermore, a modified Western blot method, urea-PAGE Western blot, was set up to assess the reactivity of antik-B toward all isoforms of kappa-CN B. In conclusion, antik-B was specific to kappa-CN B in milk and it seemed to be reactive toward all its isoforms.
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The main requirement for milk processed in most cheese typologies is its rennet coagulation ability. Despite the increasing number of studies, the causes for abnormal coagulation of milk are not fully understood. The aim of this study was... more
The main requirement for milk processed in most cheese typologies is its rennet coagulation ability. Despite the increasing number of studies, the causes for abnormal coagulation of milk are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to ascertain relationships between milk characteristics and its rennet coagulation ability, focusing on the influence of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). Ca and P are essential constituents of the micelles. Micellar P can be present as part of colloidal calcium phosphate (inorganic-P) or covalently bound to caseins as phosphate groups (casein-P). Eighty one herd milk samples (SCC<400 000 cell/ml) were classified as Optimal (8), Suboptimal (39) Poor (29) and Non-coagulating milk (5), according to their rennet coagulation parameters as assessed by lactodynamographic test. Samples were analysed for their chemical composition (basic composition, protein fractions, minerals and salt equilibria), physicochemical parameters (pH and titratable acidity) ...
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... Free keywords, Formaggio a pasta dura; latte di vacca; denominazione di origine; emilia romagna; lombardia; caseina; conteggio delle ... di preminente interesse nella produzione dei formaggi a lunga stagionatura, come il... more
... Free keywords, Formaggio a pasta dura; latte di vacca; denominazione di origine; emilia romagna; lombardia; caseina; conteggio delle ... di preminente interesse nella produzione dei formaggi a lunga stagionatura, come il Parmigiano-Reggiano, che si fonda sulla formazione e la ...
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Authenticity testing is often confronted with the problem of high costs and technique reliability for identifying diagnostic markers suitable for species classification. In this paper isozyme/allozyme detection on starch gel... more
Authenticity testing is often confronted with the problem of high costs and technique reliability for identifying diagnostic markers suitable for species classification. In this paper isozyme/allozyme detection on starch gel electrophoresis was shown to be a fast and useful biochemical technique for assessing species homogeneity in blocks of processed frozen fillets of cod-like fish. Banding patterns of starch gel electrophoresis were informative in 9 out of 22 loci screened, 5 loci were polymorphic in at least one species. Allozyme migration distances were much more comparable in closely related species of Merluccius (Hake) than in the different genus, Theragra (Pollack). Genetic relationships were assessed. In addition, preservation quality was investigated, both before and after freezing, by evaluating electromorph resolution and detecting thermolabile enzymes. Les tests d'identification sont souvent confrontes a des problemes de couts et fiabilite des marqueurs a la classifi...
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In the programmes of milk quality payment, the milk casein content is generally calculated (crude protein x 0.77 = casein). The aim of the research was to verify the validity of such criterion of evaluation. The survey was carried out on... more
In the programmes of milk quality payment, the milk casein content is generally calculated (crude protein x 0.77 = casein). The aim of the research was to verify the validity of such criterion of evaluation. The survey was carried out on 696 herd milk samples collected throughout an entire year (58 samples per month). Only in 49% of the cases a good correspondence (′ 0.02 g) between calculated casein and casein determined by Kjeldahl was observed. Casein content resulted underestimated and overestimated by at least 0.04 g per 100 g milk in 36% and 15% of the cases, respectively.
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Ten Haflinger nursing mares were controlled throughout a whole lactation period. Mares (400–540 kg live weight; 4–12 parities) were reared in a stud in Brescia province (Northern Italy). Eighty milk samples were taken by hand milking of... more
Ten Haflinger nursing mares were controlled throughout a whole lactation period. Mares (400–540 kg live weight; 4–12 parities) were reared in a stud in Brescia province (Northern Italy). Eighty milk samples were taken by hand milking of one gland at days 4, 20, 40, 60, 80, 120, 150 and 180 post-partum. From days 4 to 180 post-partum, the ash content dropped from 0.58 to 0.28 g/100 g of milk (P<0.001). In the same period, the content of the mineral elements also decreased significantly (P<0.001): Ca from 1240 to 519 ppm; P from 704 to 310 ppm; Mg from 104 to 44 ppm; K from 773 to 387 ppm; Na from 297 to 166 ppm; Cl− from 279 to 181 ppm. Changes were most relevant in the first period of lactation (at day 40: −32% ash; −28% Ca; −30% P; −27% Mg; −29% K; −33% Na; −41% Cl−). Ash and minerals showed a curvilinear trend relative to days of lactation that was well described by cubic equations.
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Parmigiano Reggiano is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese whose official production protocol provides that milk cannot be stored at less than 18 °C at the farm. The possibility of refrigerating milk at the farm is highly... more
Parmigiano Reggiano is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese whose official production protocol provides that milk cannot be stored at less than 18 °C at the farm. The possibility of refrigerating milk at the farm is highly debated, since it should allow for the limiting of bacterial growth, thus improving the quality of the cheese. The present research aimed to study the influence of storing the milk at 9 °C on the chemical composition and proteolysis during the ripening of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. The experimentation considered six cheese-making trials, in which both evening and morning milks were subdivided into two parts that were maintained at 9 and 20 °C. After Parmigiano Reggiano cheese-making, one of the twin wheels obtained was analyzed after 21 months of ripening. From each cheese, two different samples were taken, one from the inner zone, and the other from the outer zone. The results of the chemical analyses evidenced that milk storage at 9 °C significantly (...
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Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard PDO cheese made from bovine raw milk, whose microbiological characteristics have important repercussions on cheese quality. According to the EU official production protocol, milk temperature at the farm must... more
Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard PDO cheese made from bovine raw milk, whose microbiological characteristics have important repercussions on cheese quality. According to the EU official production protocol, milk temperature at the farm must not drop below 18 °C. The present research aimed to study the effect of cooling milk at the farm at 9 °C on the characteristics of milk and on the cheesemaking process and losses during manufacture. Six cheesemaking trials were performed in two different dairies. In each of them, two cheesemakings were made in parallel: one with milk kept at 9 °C (TM9) and the other with milk kept at 20 °C (TM20). TM9 milk, in comparison with TM20, showed after the creaming process a significant reduction not only of total bacterial count but also of psychrotrophic and lipolytic bacteria. At the same time, TM9 milk showed a higher creaming capacity and, consequently, a lower fat content than TM20. TM9 vat milk had worst coagulation properties than TM20, which caused...
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Milk from different cattle breeds can present different casein and fat contents, which are reflected in different cheese yields (CY). However, CY is also related to some breed-related molecular characteristics. The aim of the present work... more
Milk from different cattle breeds can present different casein and fat contents, which are reflected in different cheese yields (CY). However, CY is also related to some breed-related molecular characteristics. The aim of the present work was to quantify the effect of these characteristics by comparing a series of Parmigiano Reggiano (PR) cheese-making trials made with milks from Italian Brown (IB) and Italian Friesian (IF) cattle herds. Twelve trials were carried out in a cheese factory in one year (one trial per month), each one consisting of four vats processed in parallel: three vats contained milk from three different IF cattle herds (IF1, IF2 and IF3) and one contained milk from a single IB cattle herd. A 24-h CY prediction formula was developed with data from IF1, IF2 and IF3 trials (calibration) and successively validated by applying it to 12 PR trials made with IF milk in six different cheese factories (external validation). The predicted values of 24-h CY were no different...
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Recent available instruments allow to record the number of differential somatic cell count (DSCC), representing the combined proportion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes, on a large number of milk samples. Milk DSCC provides... more
Recent available instruments allow to record the number of differential somatic cell count (DSCC), representing the combined proportion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and lymphocytes, on a large number of milk samples. Milk DSCC provides indirect information on the udder health status of dairy cows. However, literature is limited regarding the effect of DSCC on milk composition at the individual cow level, as well as its relation to the somatic cell score (SCS). Hence, the aims of this study were to (i) investigate the effect of different levels of DSCC on milk composition (fat, protein, casein, casein index, and lactose) and (ii) explore the combined effect of DSCC and SCS on these traits. Statistical models included the fixed effects of days in milk, parity, SCS, DSCC and the interaction between SCS × DSCC, and the random effects of herd, animal within parity, and repeated measurements within cow. Results evidenced a decrease of milk fat and an increase in milk fatty acids at inc...
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Milk processing is one of the most ancient food technologies, dating back around 6000 BC. The majority of dairy products are manufactured from cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep; their production technologies are mostly standardized and... more
Milk processing is one of the most ancient food technologies, dating back around 6000 BC. The majority of dairy products are manufactured from cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep; their production technologies are mostly standardized and have been widely investigated. Milk and dairy products from minor species are less important under the economic point of view, but they play a fundamental social role in many marginal and poor areas. Due to scarce interest of the dairy industry, their technological characteristics and related issues have been investigated less. Recently, the increasing interest toward ethnic foods and food biodiversity is helping these minor products to emerge from the “darkness” in which they have remained for long time. Some of them are increasingly seen as useful for the valorization of marginal areas, while others are recognized as innovative or healthy foods. The present review aims to resume the most recent knowledge about these less-known dairy products. The fi...
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The careful monitoring of cows helps minimise pain and distress during calving; moreover, knowing the exact time of birth is important to ensure timely assistance and the adequate ingestion of colostrum by the calf. However, direct visual... more
The careful monitoring of cows helps minimise pain and distress during calving; moreover, knowing the exact time of birth is important to ensure timely assistance and the adequate ingestion of colostrum by the calf. However, direct visual observation is time-consuming, and the continuous presence of an observer during stage two of calving can disturb cows. Video cameras or accelerometers recording the behaviour of cows can be integrated in systems using image analysis or locomotive activity to alert the farmer as to when calving is imminent. However, alerting systems require the input of benchmark information about behaviours and changes in behaviours that can be predictive of the time of calving. Eight cows in a calving barn were continuously video-monitored. The recordings of the 24 h before delivery were analysed by instantaneous time sampling to identify the behaviours associated with an imminent birth. The same were collected in an ethogram including lying, standing, walking, t...
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Nero di Parma is an endangered swine breed reared in the North of Italy which nowadays counts 1603 alive pigs. The aims of this study were (i) to explore the genetic diversity of the breed at pedigree level to determine the actual genetic... more
Nero di Parma is an endangered swine breed reared in the North of Italy which nowadays counts 1603 alive pigs. The aims of this study were (i) to explore the genetic diversity of the breed at pedigree level to determine the actual genetic structure, (ii) to evaluate the effectiveness of the breeding recovery project and (iii) to potentially propose breeding strategies for the coming generations. The pedigree dataset contained 14,485 animals and was used to estimate demographic and genetic parameters. The mean equivalent complete generations was equal to 6.47 in the whole population, and it reached a mean value of 7.94 in the live animals, highlighting the quality of the available data. Average inbreeding was 0.28 in the total population, whereas it reached 0.31 in the alive animals and it decreased to 0.27 if only breeding animals were considered. The rate of inbreeding based on the individual increase in inbreeding was equal to 7%. This study showed the effectiveness of the recover...